Well you have St. Paul to blame. Calvin's system is more defensible than the alternatives, although all of them face contradictory passages. It requires that you believe that all human beings really do deserve to be tortured forever, and God is gracious to some. Yes it's the height of insanity, but also quite Biblical, which is good for atheists.

(03-06-2014 03:30 PM)Mr Woof Wrote: A good many fundamentalist Christians believe that as a result of Jesus's death they may be forgiven their sins, live better lives, and find a permanent home in heaven.

Good opening. Continue.....

(03-06-2014 03:30 PM)Mr Woof Wrote: While I do not share this belief, I do not begrudge them their hopes

This is commendable.... please go on...

(03-06-2014 03:30 PM)Mr Woof Wrote: According to Calvinists God the Father has arbitrarily pre ordained who will enjoy eternal bliss and who will be tortured for eternity. Accordingly any belief in The Atonement (being saved by the grace of Jesus) is totally nullified. How can Jesus 'save' anyone when the game plan has already been finalized?

Based on allegations of some heavenly fall or attempted coup in heaven, these people preach a capricious god who would torture, for ever, humans allegedly linked to the fall.Sometimes Adam is used as the scapegoat in this bizarre pantomime.

It would really be quite funny accept for the fact that it can and does impact on the lives of a good many gullible people, especially children, who fear being among the' non elect' who will be tortured eternally by an insane god....

There are many crazy and dangerous cults operating today, not many worse than Calvinism.

And you ended by strawmanning Calvinism.

You were doing good in the beginning.

Ah 'strawmanning': the last prop in the dogmatists arsenal.

Perhaps you would like to explain the ethics and methodology behind this farcical Calvinist claim..............................